78 Opposition MPs suspended in Parliament

December 19, 2023 22:14

78 Opposition MPs suspended in Parliament:- The suspension of opposition MPs continues to escalate in both houses of the Indian Parliament. On December 18, a total of 78 MPs were suspended, bringing the cumulative number of suspended MPs since December 15 to 92. Out of these, 33 MPs were suspended in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and 45 in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House).

These suspensions were triggered by repeated adjournments in parliament as opposition MPs demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding a security breach that occurred on December 13. Two individuals had jumped from the public gallery into the Lok Sabha hall, setting off smoke canisters.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla disclosed that a high-level investigation is already underway to address the security breach. Some suggestions put forth by opposition MPs have been implemented, while others are still being considered. Birla expressed disappointment that the issue was being politicized, stating that disruptions and slogan shouting in the House undermined its dignity.

Upon the resumption of proceedings in the afternoon, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion to suspend 30 opposition MPs for their "misconduct" and "utter disregard" for the chair. Additionally, the suspension of three Congress MPs has been referred to the Privileges Committee for further examination.

The list of MPs suspended in the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the session includes prominent names such as Kalyan Banerjee (TMC), A. Raja (DMK), Dayanidhi Maran (DMK), and Adhir Ranjan Choudhary (Congress). The suspension duration of three other Congress MPs - K. Jayakumar, Abdul Khaleque, and Vijay Vasanth - will be determined by the Privileges Committee.